Worries about disarray in McCain camp

“The core image of John McCain is as a reformer in Washington — and the more dominant the story is about the lobbying teams around him, the more you put that into question,” said Terry Nelson, who was McCain’s campaign manager until he left in a shake-up last fall. “If the Obama campaign can truly change him from being seen as a reformer to just being another Washington politician, it could be very damaging over the course of the campaign.” McCain’s campaign has transmitted conflicting messages in recent days about how he would present himself, as he has sought to reassure conservatives nervous about his ideological consistency even as he has tried to expand his appeal to moderates and liberals.

He recently spent three days talking about global warming, a subject he used to emphasise his differences with Bush. But he ended that week with a high-profile speech to the National Rifle Association, a group suspicious of his views on gun control.

McCain’s adviser — some of whom gathered with the candidate for the holiday weekend at his Arizona ranch along with three Republicans assumed to be under consideration as his running mate — said the concern in the party reflected, in part, exaggerated concern about Barack Obama’s strengths as a general election candidate. McCain, they said, was in a strong position entering into this next phase of the race.

Republicans said McCain certainly had time to get his campaign back on track, and they remained confident that he would be a strong general election candidate against Obama. Some said the level of concern was overstated, or reflected the general Republican apprehension about this electoral environment, rather than anything McCain had done wrong.

“I think any Republican who doesn’t say panic is in the wind is lying through their shirt,” said Ron Kaufman, who was a senior adviser this year for Mitt Romney. “The question is, is that panic caused by McCain’s campaign — or lack thereof in some respects — or is it the climate?”

Some Republicans said they were concerned that the Democrats would soon unify around Obama, and that it was only a matter of weeks before Obama began unloading a huge round of advertising intended to define McCain. If that happens, they said, McCain may look back at this period as a time of missed opportunity.

Discussing what McCain needed to do, Nelson, another veteran of the Bush 2004 team, said: “Step No. 1 would be finding a compelling message that excited Republicans, and Step No. 2 would be having the ability to turn your voters out. From what I see, in both respects, they have a long way to go, but they have time.”

McCain has made some gains in reassuring conservatives nervous about his views on issues like immigration, polls suggest. But if he is going to rely on turnout in the Republican base more than on winning over independents and disaffected Democrats, there is evidence that he has not gone as far as he needs to — particularly given how energised Democrats appear to be.

“He is going to need extraordinary participation of Republicans if Democrats continue to flock to the polls the way they have,” said Kris Kobach, the Republican Party leader from Kansas. “It’s critical that he use this period to generate enthusiasm from his base.”